[Hoot Gibson]

Jim Booth just signed a 20 year deal with India, worth 7 billion. He's not doing too bad in this "war". The price of mining a ton of coal is around 58-60 dollars a ton, and it is selling for 56 a ton. Can this be part of the layoffs? It's not all EPA. Plus, natural gas is way cheaper than coal. It's pretty easy to blame Obama, until hit with facts.

Your attempts to convince us that the coal industry is in fine shape rank right up there with the most ridiculous positions that you have ever taken here.

• The UMWA has declined to endorse any candidate in the 2012 presidential election. When was the last time that happened?
  
  
• A convicted felon, sitting in a prison cell in Texas, received 40 percent of the vote in the West Virginia Democratic Primary election, in which Barack Obama was the only other candidate on the ballot.
  

People who know something about the coal industry understand what Obama is doing to it. Either you do not know what you are talking about or you, like Obama, will say or do anything to get Obama a second term. But your efforts to absolve Obama of all blame for the woes of the coal industry make you look foolish either way. Obama and Biden are making good on promises to make life difficult for the coal mining industry and its customers.